Lion of Allāt: introduction

 

The temple of Allāt at Palmyra had as its cult statue a fine marble figure of Athena (with whom Allāt was equated). This provided a striking contrast with the monumental relief in Palmyrene style, constructed in the early first century AD from limestone ashlars and standing 3.5 meters high and weighing 15 tons, which adorned the sanctuary. The sculpture depicted a lion (the consort of Allāt) holding a crouching gazelle in its paws. The lion is a powerful visual symbol of the divine, while the gazelle symbolized Allāt's tender and loving traits, as bloodshed was not permitted under penalty of her retaliation. The lion's left paw had a partially damaged Palmyrene inscription, which reads, "Allāt will bless whoever will not shed blood in the sanctuary."

Kevin Butcher. Roman Syria and the Bear East. Getty publications 2003.